Apparatus for ventilating and cooling storage-battery systems.



S. LAKE. APPARATUS FOR VENTELATING AND COOLING STORAGE BATTERY SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED ($01. 31,1908.

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S. LAKE. APPARATUS .E'QR VENTILATING AND COOLING STORAGE BATTERY SYSTEMS.

APPLIOA TION FILED OUT. 31,1908.

Patented June 22, 1909.

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SIMON LAKE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Application filed October 31, 1908. Serial No. 460,505.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON LAKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Ventilating and Cooling Storage-Battery Systems, of which the fdllowing is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for ventilating and cooling storagebattery-cells and the battery-compartment of a submarine boat which will eiiec tively prevent the-escape of the fumes and gases into the adjacent portions of the boat, which I gases and fumes accumulate in the cells, cs-

pecially when the several elements thereof are excited at the time of re-charging the batteries.

To this end the invention comprises a suitable air-duct extending throughout the length of the battery-coinpartment and pro vided with a series of branch pipes or sections extended through the covers of the cells. This air-duct is connected at one end to a suction-fan having at its discharge end a pipe that extends through the top ol'the hull oi the vessel, .or through the conning-tower, and

is provided at or near its eduction end with a non-return exhaust-valve which will prevent ingress of water to the air-duct and cells in the event of the vessel bcin g swept by a heavy sea when the cells are being ventilated, or in case of neglecting to lock the valve in its closed position prior to the subinergence ol' the vessel.

The invention also comprises means l'or safeguarding against any possibility ol' water finding its way to the cells in the event ol" 1, part of 'he l'looriug over the battery conipartnicnt being removed to show the batlcrycells, the usual bus-bar connection being omitted to clearly illustrate the branch pipes extending from the air-duct. Fig. 3 is cross-section drawn on a larger scale on the irregular line 3- 3 of Fig. 1'. Fig. 4 a sectional view drawn on a larger scale on the line 44 of'Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view drawn on larger scale through the upper portion o'l' two of the battery-cells and the air-duct and illustrating the manner of connecting the branch pipes to the air-duct and to covers oi the cells. Fig. 6 is a side view oi the trap or catch basin interposed in the discharge pipe.

A. designates the hull of a submarine vessel, circular in cross-section and having a conning-tower B and a superstructure The hull of the vessel is provided. throughout its length with a flooring D the space under whieh, forward of the longitudinal center of the'vesschis partitioned otl to pro vide a battery-compartment or chamber E iii-which are arranged the battery-cells F from which the power is derived for operating the vesselwhen operating below the surface of the water, or in such condition where it is necessary to keep the batches and ventilators closed. The flooring above the compartn'ient E is so constructed that any portion thereof may be readily removed in order to gain access to the battery-cells. Throughout the length of the compartment is arranged an air-duct G which maybe constructed of any suitable material and of any shape, but for present purposes it is shown as a pipe that is suspended from the flooring by yoke bands g. Upon opposite sides of this duct, and arranged at intervals throughout its length, are a series of nipples 7", preforably formed integral with the ai i duct, although they may be made separate and screwed into threaded holes in the sides of the air-duct. Pipe sections 11 are connected to the nipples and extend to and project through apertures formed in the tops F of the cell ("overs and adjacent to. their outer ends they are provided with tapering'enlargcmcnts which tightlyfit the apertures to prevent the escape of the gases through the apertures when the fan is not in motion. l lach cell cover is provided with two aperturcs through one of which one ol the pipe sections is extended and the remaining aperture ol each cover is ordinarily closcd'by a plug which removed when the fan is in motion and through which thcl'oul air in the compartment is drawn, and thence led to the air-duct, thus setting up a current of air I in the com artrnent as well as the 'cells pro or whic will reduce the temperature of the cells when they are being re-charged, as well as removing the gases. In practice these pipe-sections H are made of flexible material to facilitate handling, but I do not Wish to be restricted to suehmaterial, as

they may be made inflexible if desired.

The rear end of the air-duct G is bent at Gt and extended toward one side of the hull of the vessel, and it is connected at its ex treme end to the inlet of a suction fan-casing I. The fan (shown in dotted lines) is open ated by a suitable electric motor J the current wires to which are. connected to a switch J from which. they are extended to the terminals of the batteries onto the dynamo for re-charging the batteries. If ls-.- sired a separate battery may be employed for operating the fan-n1otor. The discharge mouth of the fan-casing is connected with a discharge-pipe K which forms a continuation of the air duct G, and is shown, in the present construction, extended through the hull ofthe vessel, up into the conning-tower B, and has its upper endconnected to the side of a hollow casting L whiehis securely I fastened to the under-side of the top of the said conning-tower and surrounds an opening B produced in the said tdwer.

Secured to the top of the conning-tower is acasing M which, at one end is provided with an opening 1 'that registers with the opening B and has its opposite or outer end extending rearwardly and terminating in a, down-turned eduction mouth portion M?. The bottom of the casing immediately surrounding the opening M is provided with a .raised portion that is annularly grooved to receive a rubber gasket that forms a seat for a 'non-return exhaust-valve N. A short sleeve section it is swiveled to the valve and proje gts downwardly therefrom and is slidingly etained in a hub n arranged centrally in theopening of the casing and connected to I the casing by means of web arms. The sleeve n is prevented from rotation within the hub by a feather and spline (not shown). The lower end of the sleeve terminates in a flange 12 between the lower face of which and the bottom of the casting is interposed a spring a whose normal tendency is to ex pand and raise the valve from its seat, aswill appear later on. 1

A stem a is slidingly retained in the sleeve n, and carriesa pin that fits a slot formed in the said sleeve whereby the valve may be pulled down upon its seat against the influence of the spring. The lowerend of the stem n is threaded for a, short distance and operates in a threaded hub m of a handwheel a the hub portion of which is journaled in the bottom of the caf ting as shown.

are apt to give off gases 2 nd fumes, the

From the foregoing it will b6,,,(l1Il(l3I'Sl700d that when the hand-wheel i rotated in one direction the stem will beelevated and the in moved upwardly in the slot of the sleeve saving the valve free to be openedby-t-hc discharge-pipe K, so as to arrest any water I that may possibly escape through the valve N. As-illustrated most clearly inFig. 6 of the drawings, the trap is shown as a small 4 tank and the" section of the pipe extending 5 from the casting L has its-inner end extended into the trap and provided with a short down turned elbow, so that in the event of water entering the trap, it'will be directed toward the-bottom of the tank. The trap is 'pro-' vided with a sight opening or a sight gage to enable the occupants of the vessel to detect the admission of water to the tra and it is also provided with a drain-cock through which the water may be withdrawn.

' If desired, the section of the. pipe betweenthe I catch basin and fan may be provided with a check-valve P, arranged to positively insure against any possibility of water entering the fan-casing and finding it's way to the battery-cells and generating nox 1011s chlorin gases.

In operation'when the batteries are being re-charged, or at such 0th or timr's when they plugs 1n the cell covers are witH raw] 1, the va ve N opened, and the fan set m motion, thereby sucking all of the gases 2: impure air out of the cells and out of the mrnpartment E, and

setting up an air-currenl in the cells as well as in the said com artm ent and forcing the noxious gases and me s out through the air-,. duct and through the non-return exhaust valve N into the atmosphere,- thereby prev/ venting the gases and fumes from ntering 15 i the adjacent portions of the boat an t at the same time, keeping the compartment cool and lowering the temperature-of the-batten ies. As is well known, the temperature is increased by the current set up by the local action between the active material and the supporting plates when being re-charged and this results in loss of energy of the batteries.

While I have described in the foregoing specification the construction of the parts referred to, it is obvious that slight changes in the construction and the arrangements of the parts may be made without de arting from the spirit of the invention, and therefore do not wish myself to be understood as said so as to set up a current of air to keep the batteries cool while they arebeing re-charged.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for ventilating and cooling storage battery systems, having a storagebattery-coinpartment, storage-battery-cells arranged therein, an air-duct arranged in the compartment, branch pipes extending from the said air-duct and communicating with the cells, a fan-casing connected to one end of the'said air-duct, a fan operating in the casing, means for operating the fan, a discharge-pipe extending from the said casing and having its discharge end communicating with an opening to the external atmosphere, a casing arranged over the opening, a nonreturn exhaust-valve controlling admission through the opening,means for locking the valve to its seat, a catch basin interposed in the said discharge-pipe, and a check-valve in the said pipe between andthe said fan-casing. 7

2. Apparatus for ventilating and cooling storage battery systems, comprising a storage-battery-compartment, and storage-battery-cells arranged in the said compartment,

the said catch basin covers for the cells an air-duct arranged in the said compartment, branch pipes extending from the ai1-' duct through the openings in said cell covers, meansdor drawing the gases and fumes from the battery-cells and battery-compartment, a discharge-pipe for carrying off the gases and fumes communicating with an opening leading to the external atmosphere, a casing arranged over the said opening and having one end terminating in a down-turned exhaust. mouth,.a non-return exhaust-valve controlling the said-opening, and means for locking the valve in a closed position.

3. Apparatus for ventilating and-cooling storage battery systems, comprising a storage-battery-compartment, storage battery cells insaid compartment, openings therein, an air-duct communicating through said cover openings with the cells,

and means to withdraw gases and fumes from the. cells and com artment and discharge same outboard, said discharge medium including a downturned exhaust mouth and a connected non-return. exhaustvalve, said valve having means for lockingit in closed position so as to exclude inflow of water or other battery-disturbing mediums;

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my handthis 15th'day of October A. D. 1908. SIMON LAKE. Witnesses:

H. A. LovLAzHNA, H. CUsTIs VEZEY.

provided with openings,

cell covers having 

